As if I really know.

HAHAHAHA!

Seriously, we’ve heard nothing but the angry black man rantings of Roland Martin on CNN juxtaposed to the whispers of the grey haired David Gergen and for what it’s worth, even Martin hasn’t really mentioned, a lot in opinion, about how is this affecting the black community. 

Yes, I’m making it a racial thing.  If that’s not your thing, then keep it on moving past this site.

The only reason I’m making it a racial thing is really because it is.  Living out here in Atlanta in the clearly impoverished sections of the West End and by extension parts of Vine City, I realised that we do live by a different set of rules in the much poorer segments of black community (and I’m quite sure much of the following is applicable to equally impoverished whites and Latinos and Asians).  But during the weeks following Hurricane Ike that hit Galveston and knocked the oil refineries off line, Atlanta’s gas supply from the Colonial Pipeline (yeah, never heard of it either until now) has slowed down to nothing more than a trickle. 

Prior to the hurricane officials in Atlanta said DO NOT run out and fill up your cars in anticipation of not having gas—so what do you think happened?

That Friday before Ike, there was hella lines and people were bringing ALL THREE of their cars to the gas station and other extra containers.  So by the next week, then slowly but surely gas stations started leaving their numbers off indicating they had no gas.  Well, that weekend really wasn’t the worse, but it was a mere indicator of what was to come. 

But the gas stations in West End had gas.

HUH?!?!?

Everywhere else in the Metro Atlanta area didn’t have gas.  Now granted it was $4.29 a gallon, which was a $0.75 jump from the previous week, but there were no long lines in the hood until just last week when they finally ran dry lasting almost a week later than the other gas stations.

I think Citizen Ojo from Desultory Life and Times put it best–“How did we elect an oil man and have all these damn problems with gas since he’s been in office?”

But what I said was black folk, well, at least the black folk in this community had already budgeted X amount of money to fill up with, either it filled up or it didn’t.  I mean, much more of us from the black community didn’t have the option nor the ability to run out and fill up one car with gas, much less the other TWO in anticipation of what was to come.

Seriously, I think it would hearken to much to socialism if the U.S. Treasury ended up passing out checks to the people who needed it the most.  I mean, on average, each American citizen is accountable for upwards of $2,000,000 to a $700,000,000,000 bailout.  (And the fools today need to stop calling it a “Rescue” and call it what it is.)

On some small level, it’s nice to see politicians actually voting with what their constituents want.  Understandably it’s because they want to be elected, but I was quite pleased, despite the bickering to see democracy in action in such a way.

But throughout all this talk about Main Street and Wall Street, I’m very interested to know about Martin Luther King Boulevard/Drive (or whatever they call it in your town because EVERYONE of us has it.)

Driving through the black neighborhoods that I frequented back in Chicago and here in Atlanta–aint seen ONE “For Sale” sign–but clearly that’s contradictory to what I’ve been watching on the news about the vast plots of foreclosed houses.  Now, places like Gary, Ind., Detroit, Mich., or a Cleveland, Ohio where foreclosure rates in the black community are through the roof are the exceptions–that’s from an economically depressed city structure that was inheirited by the current blacks that hold office and by other local mismanagement, not to mention a total outsourcing of jobs–hell, Detroit and Gary haven’t been the same since the auto and steel industry chunked the deuces.

If you don’t believe me, just ask the citizens of middle Michigan and ask them how long have they been struggling and they’ll mark dates going as far back as the Reagan administration–trickle down effect anyone?

In other news…

Let the record show that I’m calling Elisabeth “Miz Liz” Hasselbeck leaving “The View” on or shortly the following Monday which will be the show in which they will discuss the upcoming vice-presidential debates.  I watched it this morning and it was BRUTAL–Miz Liz got BOOED.  Usually, I’m okay with Joy Behar’s comments, but oh my, Joy stepped in it today when they played the clip of Sarah “I think this is the funniest thing ever” Palin saying that she had heard Joe “Schmoe” Biden’s  speeches since she was a little kid in the second grade, in turn making a dig at his age.  (Fastforward until minute 2:52 for said portion of the interview)

Joy followed up saying “Sarah Palin is so dumb…” and poor Whoopi and Barbara (with those ruffles on!?!?!?! AAAAAAHHH!) looked like they wanted to crawl slowly under the table and hide until she was done.

And Sherri Shepherd still had the deer in the headlights, blank stare as always.

Joy further corrected her statement and said that Palin wasn’t “politically astute” because of the follow-up questions that Katie “I’m going for the Emmy on this one” Couric was asking which was how fair was it for Palin to make a dig at Biden when she’s clearly running with the oldest guy in U.S. history for a first term in office.

To which Miz Liz had to jump in.  Barbara Walters is no fool.  I, personally, had always said she was a mess prior to The View and watching her now, I’m quite impressed.  Because she turned to Miz Liz more than once and asked her “Why is it that you have to defend them every single time?”  to which audience members clapped.  And once the table was hushed enough, she later gave Miz Liz the floor and said “What is it that qualifies Sarah Palin to be vice president?”

You know what this wench said?

“Well what makes Barack Obama qualified? Or Joe–” she was drowned out by the boos.  I’m mad this clip hasn’t made it’s way to YouTube yet. 

Then Whoopi in her reasoning went on to say (paraphrased of course) “I’ve said from the beginning,” as her right shoulder tattoo shows, “None of these people are qualified.  The only person qualified is the one who’s done it before.”  She further went on, after having to shursh Miz Liz that “The only reason Palin is coming under such questioning is because we only met her a month ago.  It’s like a first date.  Okay, I met you, I like you, but I gotta ask some questions to get to know you.”  And Whoopi went on to stress the importance of the VP being as well prepared as the President in case something happens.

But, yeah, I’m calling it, Miz Liz will be gone by next week sometime, if not by tomorrow.  I mean, let the right subject come up and she’s done.

Actually, can I park it right here for a moment.

I’ve had some VERY heated debates in my life time and just like Joe Clark  and Mr. Napier I’d go out for lunch afterwards. (Yes, this was just an excuse to get this clip into my blog–I LOVE this movie)

I mean, me and one of the other interns this summer got into over the issue of the authority of the biblical text, especially as it was related to the gay guy who was suing the Bible publishers because of how different editions changed certain wording to drive home an agenda.  But weirdly the other two interns and some of the high schoolers really thought me and him had fallen smack out and were no longer friends–omg, we laughed it up so hard when we got to Medieval Times that night.  That’s what people do, but wow, Hasselbeck really thinks she’s being picked on–here’s why.

She’s dumb.

There, I said it.

She’s a dumb woman–I’m tempted to say the epitome of white privilege, but I’m not ready to bust that one open.  I mean, on issues like politics, one should fight with the head and not the heart.  This isn’t a personal attack against her.  It’s against the ideologies.  I think Barbara understood it best because she asked Miz Liz “Why do you have to defend each comment?”  I mean, we already know where she stands on the issues and to date, she’s not yet come up with a good comeback against Joy and her barbs against Sen. John “I’m counting down my heartbeats” McCain. Also, Hasselbeck, who’s frickin’ claim to fame is Survivor, isn’t all that smart.  She has yet to show a display of intellect in her sparring with Joy and Whoopi.

Finally…

I personally think The Moose  is going to beat The Mullet on tomorrow night.  The only thing that will defeat Palin is if she pulls an “I don’t know” which I hope everyone has told her is something you can get away with with local journalist who know you and may see you next week, but something you just CANNOT do with a national news anchor.

I’m just not buying the argument of people like Bay Buchanan from CNN who has said that she’s qualified and what we’ve seen is just the evidence of her being overhandled.

My foot.

She still believe that being next door to Russia qualifies her on foreign policy experience.  She couldn’t explain the bailout in the Couric Chronicles, Part 1 and Lord knows where she stands on the myriad of other social issues in this country.  At this point, Palin will almost win if she just shows up.

Now, this whole Gwen Ifill business and the conservative base suddenly hollering about it one DAY before the debates is absolutely hogwash.  Seriously, they knew about this wayyyyy before they picked her to moderate this debate.  Books don’t get published in under a year, unless you’re Michael Eric Dyson. Jim Geraghty from the National Review had this to say:

Keep Ifill, Despite The Glaring Conflict of Interest

It’s a little late to replace Gwen Ifill as moderator of the vice-presidential debate, and McCain partisans might prefer to have a moderator with a glaring conflict-of-interest to provide a handy objection to any question Palin deems out of bounds.

“Gwen, that sounds like the kind of question one would ask if one had a financial stake in the election of Barack Obama — like a book about him coming out early next year or something.”

But as if we needed any further evidence of a jaw-dropping double standard, we have to contemplate the sheer impossibility that someone who wrote a positive biography of McCain being chosen to moderate a debate.

UPDATE: Campaign Spot reader Bill offers a good idea:

Maybe Governor Palin could compliment Ms Ifill on her book.

Palin (to Ifill):  I understand you’ve been writing a book about black political progress, including Senator Obama’s campaign.  I’d just like to take a moment to congratulate you on your literary endeavor and wish you great success.  Having written many speeches, political and others, I find that it’s very rewarding to translate your personal, original thoughts to text  — don’t you agree, Senator Biden?

Now if Palin even fixed her mouth to say that, she would immediately lose all credibility and if Obama didn’t win off of that tacky comment alone, God be with this country.

So what are your thoughts on all of this?  Does even Black America care about Martin Luther Da King Street, let alone Wall Street or Main Street (has that analogy worn on ur nerves as well)?  What’s really good with Elisabeth Hasselbeck?  Is it just me or does she scream what’s a good chunk of the problem with this country?  Do you think Gwen Ifill from PBS of all non-partisan places, will be able to be objective in her questions tomorrow night?   What would you do if Palin took the advice of that particular commenter? 

Hopefully, tomorrow night I’ll be able to do live blogging, but as of right now, it’s not looking too good.  Stay tuned for updates.

Keep it uppity and keep it truthfully radical, JLL